can't log into MP

[gunslinger]

When I try to start a MP game, I get the message that my CD key is not valid. I have typed it in correctly with the dashes and everything, but it still doesn't work. I bought my MTW new at a retail outlet. It's not a bootleg. Has anyone else experienced this problem? Can anyone give me an e-mail address or a customer service phone number to get in contact with someone who may be able to help me with this problem? I've been dying to try multiplayer games more often since I recently upgraded to cable broadband, and it's smokin fast.

[CBR]

After you typed in your cd key did you hit enter? IIRC if you dont do that and just click on continue you would get an error about incorrect cd key.


CBR

[t1master]

yuuki used to speak of a file that gamespy created in the mtw directory that he needed to delete everyonce in a while, mostly when gamespy was acting up. anyone remember what that file was?

[CBR]

Gstat.dat or something like that. But I doubt he has the file as he has not been playing any battles yet.


CBR

[gunslinger]

After you typed in your cd key did you hit enter? IIRC if you dont do that and just click on continue you would get an error about incorrect cd key.


CBR

I don't have the option of clicking on contiue until after I have entered the cd key and hit enter. Then the field where I just entered the key changes to read "change cd key" and the continue button appears.

I've had no luck locating any type of customer service support for this problem. Is there a trusted member here to whom I could send my cd key to see whether it works on another computer, or would that violate all of the laws of the natural universe?

Thank you for the help.

[CBR]

Is it MTW or MTW+VI you have bought?


CBR

[SaintBlackAdder]

Hmmm only thing that i could think of is: that you should use Caps Lock when typing key in, hope it helps

[gunslinger]

I have MTW v1.1. I have tried caps on, caps off, dashes, no dashes the letter o insted of the number 0 (it won't let you type the letter in), and every other option I could think of.

Does CA still provide customer support for this type of thing? I fear that they will assume I am a bootlegger and tell me I'm out of luck.

[Jochi Khan]

Type your CD key exactly as you see it.
All letters are ...lowercase All 0's are ZERO'S
Press Enter
Click Continue (ignore the...Change CD key)

Happy hunting.

Jochi

[KrooK]

you have to write cdkey
then press enter (cdkey should disappear)
then write cdkey one more time (without ANY changes)
and continue should appear

[Tomisama]

Guns,

Send your key and log in information to me at clanwars@hotmail.com, I will plug it into my game, and email you back the results

[Tomisama]

(from gamespy help pages)

Firewalls

GameSpy Arcade is 100% reliant on your Internet connection being fully functional. The same holds true for any games that you want to play online against other people. Firewalls and proxy servers are designed to block your Internet connection in order to minimize the chances that your computer will be accessed (or hacked!) by "unwanted visitors." They also have the unfortunate side-effect of disabling many of the things you might want to do online -- like play games -- since these activities depend on your PC making an unimpeded connection to other computers. Therefore, if you are using a firewall or proxy, Arcade may not function properly nor will you be able to download and install all of the files that you need in order to use the software to play games online.

Connecting to different places online requires access through "ports" in your PC's Internet connection, and firewalls and proxies will close certain ports for your protection. This is not always necessary, but you as the firewall/proxy owner are the only one who can open those ports. We can't do it for you - but we can give you some tips on how to configure your firewall / proxy to allow Arcade to work properly.


What is a firewall or proxy?

Firewalls and proxies are software programs or pieces of hardware designed to protect your computer and/or network from Internet intruders. Some of these are:
Windows XP Firewall
Norton Internet Security
Tiny Personal Firewall
Zonealarm
Sygate (proxy)
Wingate (proxy)
Internet Connection Sharing aka ICS - provided by Windows 98SE and higher (proxy)
Linksys Routers (hardware firewall)
D-Link Routers (hardware firewall)
Cisco Routers (hardware firewall)



Working Around the Firewall / Proxy

If you are behind a firewall/proxy and are able to change its settings, Arcade needs the following TCP ports open in order to function:
6667 (IRC)
3783 (Voice Chat Port)
27900 (Master Server UDP Heartbeat)
28900 (Master Server List Request)
29900 (GP Connection Manager)
29901 (GP Search Manager)
13139 (Custom UDP Pings)
6515 (Dplay UDP)
6500 (Query Port)
University Internet connections - Universities usually protect their networks with firewalls. In most cases these cannot be opened by you the user. You'll have to consult a technician at your University to see if a workaround is possible. It might be necessary to open more ports in order to run certain games. Also, please not that this is a list of recommended ports. It does not mean that your particular firewall will be easy to configure. Please consult your firewall/proxy manufacturer for detailed instructions. In reality, getting Arcade to work on certain restrictive networks may even be a little harder than opening these ports. DirectPlay games in all likelihood will not launch properly at all.


Disabling firewalls will not work
Unfortunately, in most cases, firewalls/proxies cannot simply be disabled in order to allow you to use Arcade and your game. Disabling the firewall / proxy will not open the necessary ports. It will simply shut down the firewall/proxy and leave the ports closed. Also, many factors may conflict with your firewall: Internet Connection Sharing, the use of more than one firewall, or your operating system may all cause conflicts that keep you from enjoying Arcade. To work around these issues, you will need to consult the manufacturer of your firewall/proxy.

Special notes to Windows XP users:
Windows XP has a built-in firewall. If you are using 3rd party firewalls/proxies with Windows XP, you will have to consult both the firewall/proxy developer and Microsoft to determine their compatibility with one another. You will also need to speak to your game's developer in order to determine the game's compatibility with WindowsXP, its firewall and your 3rd party firewall/proxy.

Many broadband service providers are reporting an incompatibility between Windows XP and some high-speed modems. Please consult your Internet Service Provider to ensure your Windows XP compatibility with their modem and software.


What errors might I see caused by my firewall/proxy?


Aphex.exe has caused an illegal operation in Module (followed by a sting of several numbers).
Arcade is telling you that it was disconnected from the Internet, which in turn caused an error to occur in the Arcade software (which won't function without an Internet connection). Many firewalls will disconnect a program that they feel is creating a risk if the firewall is not configured in advance to allow it.

Game version does not match (and I KNOW I patched my game right!).
Firewalls essentially place games in the dark -- if you are using a firewall/proxy, the game cannot see itself or its version, and will return this error.

My Profile didn't save. I used it yesterday and now it's not there!
If you are behind a firewall, Arcade can not actually communicate with GameSpy's database (where your profile is stored). As long as you are behind the firewall, Arcade may never save profiles you create, nor will it recognize you to compare to our registration database if you are registered. Firewalls have to be configured for Arcade to have a "clear shot" at the database and save your information. This can be corrected by properly configuring your firewall with permissions for Arcade.

When I enter a game room, no game servers come up.
This is most likely because the port for our master server is blocked and it cannot refresh your game list. See the lists of ports above, and configure your firewall appropriately.

My friend asked for authorization to add me as a buddy and I never receive his/her request.
Once again, an incoming port is blocked, and this has prevented you from receiving any information sent to you through Arcade. Open the ports, and the information will flow like beer through Homer Simpson.

When I host a game it never shows up on the list in the room.
Your firewall/proxy is protecting your connection, and this overactive security is not letting Arcade transmit your game information beyond your PC. Therefore, your listing will not show up in Arcade, and no one will be able to join your game.

When I try to activate my registration it says "Not a valid email address"! I used the correct email address in my Profile for registering.
If your firewall/proxy is blocking our database from seeing you it will not recognize you when you attempt to log on, nor will it be able to exchange information with your computer necessary to validate your registration status.




Disabling / Setting Permissions on Specific Firewall Programs


We do not recommend disabling your firewall. Disabling it will not make it open up the ports it has already closed. Instead, you need to configure it to allow access to Arcade. This is usually called "giving permission," and can be accomplised quickly by following these steps:

Windows XP Service Pack 2 -- The built-in firewall that comes bundled with Windows XP will affect two areas of your Arcade experience: 1) Arcade itself (including the login process, using PlayerSpy, chat, using the Download Manager and playing games) and 2) Hosting any parlor or peer-to-peer games. In order to use Arcade and play games properly with Windows XP, you should follow these steps:

1) Unblocking GameSpy Arcade During Login: Click the "Unblock" button in the Windows XP firewall prompt the first time you attempt to log into Arcade atfer installing Service Pack 2

2) Unblocking GameSpy Arcade via Control Panel: If you forgot to click "Unblock" in Step 1, or if you want to be ahead of the curve, you can configure the XP firewall to unblock Arcade via the Windows Control Panel. To do this: Click on Start > Settings > Control Panel > Windows Firewall. In the Windows Firewall menu, Click on the Exceptions tab. If GameSpy Arcade is not listed, Click on the Add Program button, find GameSpy Arcade on the list of available programs and click the OK button.

3) Unblocking Your Games: This can be done in one of two ways: a) Either wait for Windows to prompt you to unblock the game and click the Unblock button (this usually happens the first time you attempt to host a game after installing Service Pack 2, or; b) Use the Windows Control Panel to add the game to your list of Exceptions, using the same method listed in step 2 above.

4) Unblocking Ports: You can take the unblocking process a step further by instructing Windows to open the Firewall to all ports used by GameSpy Arcade and most of its supported games. To do this: Click on Start > Settings > Control Panel > Windows Firewall. From the Windows Firewall Menu, click on the Exceptions tab, then click on the Add Ports button. From the Add Ports Menu, enter a port from the list of ports at the top of this Arcade support page. Be sure to indicate whether this is a UDP or TCP port (the list above should indicate which it is).


Black Ice - Set the security level to low.


ZoneAlarm - The best course of action for ZoneAlarm, in our experience, is to make sure it allows your online applications. Make sure that, when you open Arcade and ZoneAlarm alerts you that Aphex.exe is trying to access the Internet, you allow it to do so, and check the box to "remember this application." It will ask again later if you want to allow the downloading of config files. Again, tell it to allow it and remember. You can still leave ZoneAlarm on medium to high security. But don't forget that it will also want to ask for your permission for each and every game you play the first time you start it up. If not told to allow your game and remember your settings, you will again encounter difficulties.

Alternately, but less effective, set ZoneAlarm to recognize Arcade as a part of your Local Network and set both local and Internet settings to "Low."


Norton Internet Security 2002 - NIS2002 is really quite simple. All it takes is giving GameSpy Arcade and your game permission. See the pictures below. Do not attempt to provide Custom Settings. Just follow the simple method below and you'll be good to go:

Step 1 - Grant GameSpy Arcade Internet Access


Step 2 - Grant file downloading by GameSpy Arcade Internet Access


Step 3 - Grant Internet Access to your games. This may not be apparent, as the window may pop up behind other programs.

[gunslinger]

Well, I've finally gone out and bought VI, so now I can just use the cd key off of it. It works fine by the way, so apparently the problem actually was a bad cd key on my original game. Thanks to you all for the help.

[Geezer57]

Well, I've finally gone out and bought VI, so now I can just use the cd key off of it. It works fine by the way, so apparently the problem actually was a bad cd key on my original game. Thanks to you all for the help.

I think it would be worth it for you to contact Activision about this - an original MTW CD-key would still be needed for playing plain MTW v1.1 online. Because of the popularity of the bargain-basement version of the game, there are more folks playing without VI online than with it. If you settle for just VI (admittedly a much better single-player experience) as the fix for your woes, you'll be limited in your options, IMHO.

[gunslinger]

Actually, the VI that I bought was a 2 pack with a new MTW in it as well. I looked for a long time, but I couldn't find one that was just VI, and the 2 pack wasn't that expensive anyway. When you log on, do you have to choose one or the other, or is there a way to see all of the MTW and VI games at the same time?